Defiberizer



p 5, 1934- w. e. HAGMAIER 1,974,647

DEFIBERIZER ,Filed Feb. 24, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

Sept. 25, 1934.

w. G. HAGIMAIIER' 1,974,647

DEFIBERIZER Filed Feb. 24.1930

.- a if 2 Sheets-Shet 2 I I I l I I I I l I v I I I I L Hll H H H H H HI3 Patented Sept. 25, 1934 I 1,974,647 I I DEFIBERIZER. I William G.Hagmaier, West Allis, Wis.. assignor to Allis-Chalmers ManufacturingCompany, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application February24, 1930, Serial No. 430,548

20 Claims. (01. 83- -75) The present invention relates in general toimprovements in the construction and operation of machines fordefiberizing fibrous material such as wood and bark, and relates morespecifically to improvements in defiberizing machines of the typewherein logs or slabs of the fibrous material, are subjectedlongitudinally of their grain, to the combing or raking action of aplurality of needle points or the like carried by a rotor revolving athigh speed. o

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved deflberizerwhich is durable in construction, emcient in operation, and wherein thedefiberizing elements may be readily maintained in most effectivecondition.

' One of the more specific objects of the invention is to providevarious improvements in the construction of defiberizing machines of thetype disclosed in Aicher and McMillan Patent 1,476,032,

20 granted December 4, 1923. It has been found difficult in machines ofthe type disclosed in said patent, wherein a series of wire needles areutili'zed to rake the fiber longitudinally from slabs or logs of wood,to provide a. durable needle structure, and it is an object of thepresent invention to provide more durable defiberizing needles andimproved means for mounting the needles upon a rotor so that a maximumnumber of raking points are available, and that the needles may be morereadily inserted and removed than was heretofore possible. The presentinvention moreover contemplates an improved method of pointing theindividual needles, and also includes the .provision of means forpreventing slivers from entering the rotor structure and thus destroyingthe needles. A further object of the invention is to provideinstrumentalities for insuring elflcient collection of the separatedfibers, and for minimizing wasteful circulation of air through a rotorstructure, in order to reduce the power consumption by eliminatingwindage. These and other specific objects of the invention andadvantages attainable therewith, will be apparent from the followingdetail description.

A clear conception of embodiments of the several features of theinvention and of the mode of constructing and operating machines builtin accordance therewith, may be had by referring to the drawingsaccompanying and forming a to part of thisspecification in which likereference characters designate the same or similar parts in the variousviews. r

Fig. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of a tworotor defiberizingmachine of the needle type.

- Fig.2 is an enlarged fragment of several of the so that the effectivepoints of the needles of the needle points showing their relation duringoperation, with respect to a'fragment of the wood supporting plate. I

Fig. 3 is an end elevationof a portion of the rotor structure showingthe method of mounting 69 the needles upon the rotor.

Fig. 4 is a part sectional side elevation of a fragment of the rotor,showing the improved needle mounting.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top view of a portion of the rotor, illustratingthe method of inserting and removing the individual needles.

,Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side' elevation of a. part of the rotor,likewise illustrating the method of inserting and removing theindividual needles.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one of the improved needleshaving ordinary points.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the needle illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged View of one of the improved needleshaving an improved point structure. t

Fig. 10 is an end view of the needle illustrated in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one of the improved needleshaving still another form of improved point structure.

Fig. 12 is an end view of the needle illustrated in Fig. 11. A

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view through one end of the rotor andof the supporting frame, showing the improved means for preventingundesirable circulation of air through the rotor.

Referring specifically to Fig.1, the improved defiberizing machinecomprises in general two rotors 2 each mounted upon a main shaft 3 andproviding a support for a plurality of radiating needies 4; and acarriage 5 for presenting slabs or logs 6 of fibrous material to theneedle points as I the rotor 2 revolves. The rotor supporting shafts 3are mounted in bearings 15 movably supported upon a main frame 14, thebearings being vertically adjustable by means of jack screws 16 to varythe effective needle point length. Each of the ro- I tors 2 is adaptedto be revolved independently of 100 the other and at high speed, bymeans of an electric motor 18 cooperating with the shaft 3 thereofthrough a multiple V-b'elt drive 1'7, and the rotors 2 are preferablyrevolvable in opposite directions two rotors approach each other. Thecarriage 5 is provided with supporting wheels 12 coacting with rails 13,and is reciprocable over a horizontal plate 9 having elongated openings10 through which the points of the needles 4 are movable to cooperatewith the under sides of logs 6 confined within the carriage 5 andresting by gravity upon the plate 9. The opposite longitudinal edges ofthe openings 10 are provided with chamfers 36 at the upper side of theplate 9, as shown in Fig. 2,

in order to prevent slivers from entering the rotor chamber beneath theplate 9, and these opposite edges of-the opening 10 are provided withchamfers 38 at the lower side of the plate 9, this chamfered surfacebeing substantially concentric with or tangent to the adjacent portionof the arc of travel of the outer extremities of the needle, as moreparticularly shown in Fig. 2. Thischamfering of the edges of the opening10 at the lower side of the plate 9 facilitates the projection of theouter .tipsof the needles beyond the upper surface of the plate 9without necessitating an unduly great dimension of the opening 10 in thedirection of travel of the carriage 5. The carriage 5 is movable betweena set of buifers 24, by means of a connecting link 23 secured to a setof continuously traveling endless chains 22 by means of a pivot 37, thechains 22 being constantly driven by an electric motor 19 through a beltdrive 20 and chain gearing 21. The movement of the car riage 5 isrelatively slow as compared to the speed of revolution of the rotors 2,the latter being operable at approximately the speed of the motors 18and the former being operable at considerably lower speed than that ofthe motor 19 by virtue of the intervening speed reducers.

The rotors 2 are housed within a lower chamber disposed beneath theplate 9 and formed by transverse Walls 8 connecting the sides of theframe 14, and are adapted to deliver the fiber 7 as produced, into thislower-chamber from whence the fiber is discharged through a dischargeconduit 11 by suction produced with a fan or the like. Mounted withinthe lower fiber accumulating chamber and extending around each rotor 2,in close proximity to the upwardly moving needle points, is a curvedcasing 25 having side flanges extending inwardly toward the shaft 3.These side flanges cooperate with end plates 28 secured to the rotor asshown in Fig. 13,-and the main frame 14 may be provided withclearanceopenings 29 adjacent'to the ends of the shafts 3. As previouslyindicated, the casings 25 are associated with the upwardly moving sidesof the rotors, and angle bafiles 26 are likewise associated with theopposite peripheral end portions of each rotor on the downwardly movingsides of the rotors 2. The angle bailles 26 extend only a short distancealong the rotors, thereby permitting any slivers which may becarried'into the lower chamber by the needles, to quickly leave therotor structure through the open space between these bafiies. Additionalbafiles 2'7 may be provided at the opposite ends of the rotors 2adjacent to the ends of the openings 10, as shown in Fig. 1, in order toprevent excess air from being drawn into the rotors from within thecarriage 5. The carriage 5 may also be provided with a centralpartition, in order to insure proper distribution of the logs 6 therein,when these logs are of relatively short length.

A baifie 39 is provided at the downwardly moving side of the rotor, atthe under side of the table or plate 9, this baffle being preferably aplate of arcuate form and extending upwardly into engagement with thelower face of the plate 9 beyond the edge of the corresponding opening10 therein and projecting downwardly and away from the correspondingrotor and toward the other rotor. The baffle plate 39 is mounted inposition through flange portions 40 at the side edges of the plate,these flanges being secured to the side Walls of the lower chamber. Thebaflie plate 39 serves to deflect and guide slivers and heavierparticles of fiber thrown out from the corresponding rotor, through thespace between the angle bafiles 26 disposed at the ends of such rotor,so that such slivers and fiber are kept out of the path of the ascendingdeflberizing needles of the other rotor, the path of the outer ends ofthe needles on the second and oppositely rotating rotor being indicatedin dotted line, as shown at 41. The baflie plate 39 preferably extendsdownwardlyto a point intermediate the two rotors where it intersects ormerges with the baffle plate of like curvature and similarly attached inposition, at the adjacent and downwardly moving side of the other rotor.

The needles 4 are preferably formed U-shaped as shown on sheet two ofthe drawings, and are pivotally associated with supports 30 which are inturn pivotally associated with the rotors 2. Each of the supports 30 isadapted to carry two needles 4, and the supports 30 are mounted uponpivots 31 extending longitudinally of the rotor 2 through alined holesin flanges 32 formed integral with the rotor. The flanges 32 may bedisposed spirally with respect to the rotor axis as shown, or they maybe formed as individual flanges lying in planes perpendicular to therotor axis. The U-shaped needles 4 may be provided with round points 33as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or they may be provided with wedge shapedpoints as illustrated in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive. In Figs.

9 and 10, the points 34 are of square cross section, thus providingdouble tapered wedges. In Figs.

11 and 12, each point 35 is provided with only two oppositely disposedflat surfaces, thus providing single wedge points.

During normal operation of the defiberizing machine, the rotors 2 arebeing rapidly revolved in opposite directions within the chamber beneaththe plate 9 by means of the electric motors 18, and logs 6 disposedwithin the carriage 5 are being reciprocated longitudinally of theirgrain, over the openings 10 by means of the carriage reciprocatingmechanism. As the successive points of the needles 4 comb through thelower portions of the log 6, they rake out the fiber 7 and deliver thesame to the lower rotor confining chamber and to the discharge pipe 11from which the fiber is automatically removed by suction. The casing 25and baflles 26, 27 cooperating with the end plates 28, prevent excessivequantities of air from entering the zone of travel of the nee dles 4,thereby eliminating windage and. reducing to a minimum the powerconsumption. The 139 chamfers 36 at the longitudinal edges of theopenings 10 will obviously tend to divert downwardly protruding sliverson the lower sides of the logs 6, upwardly so that such slivers willremain within the confines of the carriage 5 as the logs advance acrossthe openings 10, thereby pre' enting these slivers from entering therotor space beneath the plate 9. In order to vary the lengths of theeifective portions of the needle points, it is only necessary to adjustthe jack 140 screws 16, thereby altering'the position of the bearings 15and hence of the rotors 2. The carriage driving mechanism is alsoprovided with various adjustments in order to insure most effectiveoperation thereof, and the buffers 24 which engage the carriage 5 at theends of its strokes, tend to assist in starting the carriage on itsreturn strokes.

By utilizing U-shaped needles 4 and supports 30, as ShQWn on sheet twoof the drawings, a

vided'either with round points as indicated in ings in the supports 30by displacement thereof along the rotor. The supports 30 may beconveniently removed by merely withdrawing the pivots 31 endwise of themotor 2, thus permitting rapid and convenient dismantling or assemblageof the rotor structure. i

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides a relatively durable needle structure which may bemanufactured from standard spring wire at minimum cost. The needlemounting permits convenient removal and application of the needlesrelative to the rotor, and the U-shaped needles provide the desiredmultiplicity of defiberizing points. The chamfered edges at the openings10 effectively prevent slivers from entering the rotor structure, andthe casing 25 and the babies 26,

27 reduce the power consumption to a minimum by eliminating windage. Itwill also be apparent that various features of the invention areapplicable to machines having a single rotor as well a plurality ofneedles pivotally associated with each of said supports, said needlesbeing pivoted to their supports at points removed from the pivotal axesof said supports.

' 2. In a defiberizer, a rotor, a plurality of needle supports pivotallymounted on said rotor with their pivotal axes in longitudinal alinement,and

a U-shaped needle pivotally associated with each of said supports at apoint removed from the pivotal axes of said support.

3. In a defiberizer, a rotor, a plurality of needle supports pivotallymounted on said rotor, and a plurality of U-shaped needles pivotallyassociated with each of said supports and detachable therefrom whilesaid support is in normal pivotal association with said rotor.

4. In a defiberizer, a rotor having a portion provided with an opening,and a needle projecting through the opening'in said portion andpivotally associated with said portionand extending radially relative tosaid rotor during normal operation thereof, said needle being removablefrom said opening by longitudinal displacement of the needle along saidrotor.-

5. In a defiberizer, arotor having an opening,

each needle being freely endwise removable from and a U-shaped needlepivotally associated with said opening and extending radially relativeto said rotor during normal operation thereof, said needle being freelyendwise removable from said opening when swung to a positionsubstantially parallel to the rotor axis. l

6. In a defiberi'zer, a rotor, a plurality of needle supports'movablyassociated with said rotor, and needles pivotally associated with saidsupports,

its support by displacement of said needle longitudinally of said rotorwhen the adjacent sup ports have been displaced transversely of therotor.

'7. In a defiberizer, a rotor, a plurality of needle supports pivotallyassociated with said rotor, and a plurality of needles pivotallyassociated with each of said supports, the needles of each support beingremovable by displacement of said needles along said rotor when theadjacent supports have been swung about their pivots transversely ofsaid rotor.

8. In a deflberizer, a rotor having laterally spaced peripheral flanges,needle supports pivota ly mounted between said flanges, and needlespivotally mounted on said supports at points thereon radially beyond theperipheries of said flanges.

9. In a defiberizer, a rotor having laterally spaced spiral peripheral,flanges, a plurality of needle supports pivotally supported between saidflanges, and U-shaped needles pivotally associated with said supportsbeyond the peripheries of said flanges.

10. In a defiberizer, a rotor, a plurality of needlesradiating from saidrotor, a casing surrounding said rotor and needles, a plate disposedwithin said casing and extending around a portion of. said rotorcorresponding to an angle of at least 90.degrees and in close proximityto the points of said needles at the side of the rotor which movesupwardly during operation thereof, and an end baflle for retarding theflow of air between said rotor and said plate from the end of saidrotor.

11.- In a deflberizer, a rotor having a plurality of peripheraldefiberizing elements, a casing surrounding said rotor, a'curved platepositioned within and spaced from said casing and extending around atleast a portion of said rotor in close proximity to said defiberizingelements, and a baflle at each end of said rotor for retarding the flowof air beneath said plate from the ends oi. said rotor. I

. 12. In a deflberizer, a rotor having peripheral deflberizing elements,a plate having an" opening through which said elements are movableduring revolution of said rotor, a curved plate extending away from saidopening around said rotor and in close proximity to said elements, andbaflles adjacent the sides of said curved plate.

13. In a defiberizer, a rotor having peripheral vdeilberizing elements,a plate having an opening through which said elements are movable duringrevolution of said-rotor, and a curved baflle extending away from saidopening in the direction of rotation of said rotor at each peripheralend I portion thereof.

14. In a deflberizer, a rotor having peripheral defiberizing elements, aplate having an opening tending away from the periphery of said rotor159 and inclined relative to the material supporting surface of saidplate.

15. In a defiberizer, a rotor having peripheral defiberizing elements, aplate having an opening extending along said rotor and through whichsaid elements are movable during revolution of said rotor, and means forreciprocating fibrous material along said plate and over said opening,the opposite longitudinal edges of said opening being provided withsurfaces extending away from the periphery of said rotor and inclinedrelative to the material supporting surface of said plate.

16. A defiberizing machine, comprising a plurality of spaceddefiberizing rotors rotatable in opposite directions on substantiallyparallel axes, a plate having openings through which the defiberizingelements of said rotors are movable during rotation thereof, and baffleplates extending from the under side of said plate and away from saidopenings in the direction of rotation of said rotors.

17. A defiberizing machine, comprising a rotor having peripheraldefiberizing elements, a plate having an opening through which saidelements are movable during rotation of said rotor, and a bafile plateextending from the under side of said plate and away from said openingin the direction of rotation of said rotor. o v

18. A defiberizing machine, comprising a plurality of rotors havingperipheral defiberizing elements, a plate having openings through whichthe defiberizing elements of said vvrotors are movable during rotationthereof, and means for mov ing fibrous material along said plate andpast said openings, the edges of said openings transverse to thedirection of movement of said fibrous material being chamfered back onthe face of said plate along which said fibrous material is moved. i

19. In a defiberizing machine comprising a table having a recessedplanate surface, a hopper adapted to be reciprocated thereon, and aplurality of brushes rotatably mounted beneath the surface of the table,a stationary center plate of substantial thickness and extent mounted inthe table recess in the plane of the surface and provided with lowerbevelled marginal edges in proximity to the tips of the brush needles.

20. A defiberizing machine comprising a table, a hopper adapted to bereciprocated on the table, and a plurality of brushes rotatably mountedunder the table, the table being provided with openings above thebrushes, 2. center plate of substantial thickness and extent betweensaid openings, its upper marginal edges adjacent said openings beingbeveled, the lower marginal edges being substantially concentric to thearc in which the tips of the brush needles travel and in closecontiguity to said brush needles.

' WILLIAM G. HAGMAIER.

